Sandburg’s Lance Somerfield is sort of busy this fall.
The senior is a standout defender for the Eagles in soccer, and he’s additionally kicking for the soccer staff. It’s his first expertise with soccer.
“I enjoy it a lot,” Somerfield stated. “Even weeks when I’m going three days in a row with games, it’s a lot of fun. It’s my last year at Sandburg, so I want to do a little bit of everything.”
On the soccer discipline, Somerfield has been an enormous a part of a quick begin for Sandburg.
He continued his contributions Wednesday night time, scoring a purpose and enjoying sturdy protection because the host Eagles topped Shepard 3-1 in Orland Park.
Sebastian Burzynski and Ben Lyons additionally scored for Sandburg (4-1-1), whereas Luke Thiesse made three saves.
Zach Soltysiak struck for a purpose and Gannon Marin made 14 saves for Shepard (5-3).
Sandburg bought a little bit of revenge for a season-ending 1-0 shootout loss to the Astros in final season’s Class 3A regional semifinal.
“I told the boys before the game that there was no way we wanted to go out the way we did last year,” Somerfield stated. “I told them that half the team was leaving in tears last year, and that’s the way it should be for the other team (Wednesday).”
With Shepard pushing arduous for a tying purpose late within the recreation, Somerfield supplied some large insurance coverage when he ripped in a 25-yard free kick to make it 3-1 with 3:35 to go.
“Lance has really stepped up this year,” Sandburg coach Desi Vuillaume stated. “He’s been beginning three years on varsity, and he simply will get higher and higher. We’re searching for management this yr and he’s undoubtedly filling these footwear.
“It’s good to see him helping the football team, too. We’ve had quite a few kids do both, and it’s always good.”
For Somerfield, the dual-sport expertise began with a easy commentary from soccer coach Troy McAllister.
“He just thought I should go out there and kick the ball, and it’s worked out pretty well,” Somerfield stated. “My mom was kind of like, ‘Ehhh,’ about football, but I was like, ‘Let’s get after it.’”
Lyons gave Sandburg the lead within the thirty third minute, scoring on a header after Somerfield’s lengthy free kick deflected off a defender.
Soltysiak answered for Shepard with 25:25 left within the recreation, scoring off a go from Filip Zawodniak following a free kick.
The Eagles, although, shortly responded as Burzynski drew a foul within the field and transformed the following penalty kick with 20:08 to go.
Somerfield’s purpose ultimately sank the Astros.
“We knew coming into this it was going to be a tough game,” Shepard coach Zeno Toscas stated. “It meant one thing. A handful of our children play with their youngsters. We knew it was going to be a kind of good, dynamic video games.
“We just came up short. What are you going to do?”
For the Eagles, it was the most recent in a line of sturdy outcomes, together with a win over Naperville Central and a tie with Lyons.
“We want to be the best team in our sectional,” Burzynski stated. “We noticed how necessary it was final yr to be a kind of prime seeds and we wish to be on the prime.
“We want to beat Lockport. We want to beat Stagg. We want to beat everyone.”
Somerfield, in the meantime, loved the problem of defending Soltysiak.
“He’s my teammate in club, so I understand a lot about him,” Somerfield stated. “He was all-state last year and he’s really talented. It’s really just man vs. man every time, and it was a battle all night long.”
Steve Millar is a contract reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com